The annual Lone Star Conference Scholar-Athlete Award winners were announced on Monday, with 21 student-athletes honored by league officials.
Each academic year, the LSC presents a Scholar-Athlete Award to one male and one female student-athlete at each member institution. These student-athletes are selected as representatives of the outstanding accomplishments in athletics, scholarship and leadership that are displayed on each LSC campus during the year.
To be eligible for consideration, student-athletes must have participated at least two years in their sport and be a member of the graduating class.
Besides representing each of the league’s 11 member institutions, this year’s recipients represent 13 of the 17 sports that are sponsored by the conference. Track and field had the most Scholar-Athletes with four, while baseball and football had three selections. Basketball, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball each had two.
The 2016-17 Scholar-Athletes led their respective teams to five conference championships and two tournament titles.
Texas is home for seven of the recipients, with two from New Mexico, Arizona, California, Spain and England, along with one each from New York, Florida, Canada, and Belize.
This year’s LSC Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are:
| Scholar-Athlete |
Member Institution |
Year |
Sport(s) |
Hometown |
| Demi Tsambasis |
Angelo State |
Sr. |
Soccer |
Temecula, Calif. |
| Rance Layton |
Angelo State |
Sr. |
Football |
Seminole, Texas |
| Paula Gutierrez |
Cameron |
Sr. |
Tennis |
Barcelona, Spain |
| Tyler Abrego |
Cameron |
Sr. |
Baseball |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Courtney Lawson |
Eastern New Mexico |
Sr. |
Volleyball |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| Jordan Wade |
Eastern New Mexico |
Sr. |
Football |
Houston, Texas |
| Jennifer Arbuckle |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Basketball |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| Ramon Toyos |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Tennis |
Torrelavega, Spain |
| Bailey Wipff |
Tarleton State |
Sr. |
Basketball |
Lubbock, Texas |
| Cody Burtscher |
Tarleton State |
Sr. |
Football |
Glen Rose, Texas |
| Chase Graham |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Track and Field |
Springtown, Texas |
| Vicky Back |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Soccer |
York, England |
| Bryce Martin |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Sr. |
Track and Field |
Salado, Texas |
| Kaina Martinez |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Grad. |
Track and Field |
Seine Bight, Stann Creek, Belize |
| Katie Simpson |
Texas Woman's |
Sr. |
Gymnastics |
Carlsbad, Calif. |
| Doug Clapperton |
UT Permian Basin |
Sr. |
Baseball |
Calgary, Alberta |
| Jordan McDonald |
UT Permian Basin |
Sr. |
Volleyball |
Orlando, Fla. |
| Justin McAllister |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Baseball |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
| Shanice Cameron |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Track and Field |
Bronx, N.Y. |
| Bobbi Pierson |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Golf |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Harry Wetton |
Western New Mexico |
Sr. |
Golf |
Bedford, England |